Yesterday in the slightly cooler weather, my intrepid mother and I set out to look at cars.  No, not for me.  I am happy with my MINI, whom I have named Tiny (so original!).  Tiny and I are happy, though I have begun to lust for a small pickup truck into which I can through bags of dirt, ladders, couches, and other dirty, large objects.

But back to the adventure.  We were looking for a car for her, something cushy and safe and--this element is crucial--a parking sensor system (or as I call it, "The Beep, Beep, Beep Thing").

Actually, she would probably by a pickup if it had 360 degrees of sensor,  system that would pull her safely and gently into any parking space or garage or stall or slot.  The car itself isn't that important, actually, though great headlights are also important.  At this crucial juncture, we have landed on the Lexus 350 with the ultimate fancy super package.

The happy salesman Clay and we headed out to parking lots to drive close to objects and then back up from them (a camera shows you if you will hit small children, shopping carts, or brick walls).  Clay realized we didn't care if it goes from zero to sixty in 3.2 seconds, so we tooled around, almost hitting as many things as we could in order to hear the beep, beep, beep.

My mother is ruminating on this purchase, and I will get back to you (I am sure you are sitting on the edge of your seats).

But after I got home, I was reminded of one of my favorite all time children's books, The Tooth-Gnasher Superflash by Daniel Manus Pinkwater.

In this story, a family goes out to buy a car, and the hapless salesman takes them out for a spin in the brand new Tooth-Gnasher Superflash.  the father is driving and starts pressing buttons the salesman doesn't even know about. The car turns into all variety of things--so many special features--and the family is thrilled by what this car can do.

Of course, they buy it, and drive off, the salesman scratching his head.

I thought of the buttons my mother would like to push, the ones that park the car perfectly.  the ones that make everything safe and perfect and easy.  If only we could jump into that book and buy a car, the car, The Tooth-Gnasher Superflash.

Jessica